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The strike in the Autumn added to our difficulties. We lost a driver
who obtained employment outside local government and were reduced to two
men as we were already one under establishment. With these two men who
were given exemption by the strike committee our efforts were concentrated
on duties of an essential nature.
Co-operation with the various local hospitals in the training of
medical students and nurses continued and the groups who visited our
Centre received an insight into the work of the different sections.
Neighbouring authorities continued to make use of the facilities
provided in this section-523 persons receiving 840 treatments, the largest
user being Ealing-320 residents receiving 525 treatments. The income
received in this connection enables staff and equipment to be more
economically employed to the ultimate benefit of our Authority.
Cleansing and Treatment of Persons
It is disappointing to have to record that over the past five years
there has been an increase each year in the number of persons treated for
scabies. In 1966 there were 354 and in 1970 there were 527 cases.
Treatments for pediculosis which dropped each year from 357 in 1966
to 267 in 1969 showed an increase this year of 69. The decrease would have
continued if it had not been for an inexplicable increase of 83 individuals
treated for body lice, making the total 171 for 1970. Of this number 87 were
for males from lodging houses and 33 of no fixed abodes. In all, only 6
females were treated and of these three were of no fixed abodes. These
statistics do not reflect favourably on the males and even the figures
relating to head lice indicate that the lond-haired males are rapidly
gaining ground in a field that was once dominated by the ladies, 49 males
and 74 females receiving attention for this condition during the year under
review. Of the 49 males treated, 46 were under 30 years of age. As a matter
of interest, the first recorded treatment solely for head lice in Hammersmith
for adult males was in 1958 when 2 men requested cleansing.

Steam and Chemical Sterilisation
With the closure of the Townmead Road establishment the number of
sterilisers was reduced from 3 to 1. The Council have agreed to the purchase
of a modern, small-capacity autoclave for installation at Scotts Road and
when this is operating a speedier and more economical service will be
provided for the sterilisation of personal clothing, leaving the largecapacity
machine to deal with bedding.
B.36